A San Diego, California college student was awarded $4.1 million in a settlement with the federal government on Tuesday, ending his lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for leaving him in a holding cell for five days with no food or water in April 2012.

KNSD-TV reported that no criminal charges will be brought against the officers involved in the incident, which began when the victim, 24-year-old Daniel Chong, was taken to a DEA office following a raid by a task force made up of DEA, state and local officers on a “420” party Chong attended.

“They never came back, ignored all my cries and I still don’t know what happened,” Chong told KNSD in May 2013. “I’m not sure how they could forget me.”

Chong filed a $20 million lawsuit against the agency, accusing officers of leaving him with nothing to eat or drink while in handcuffs. The suit also states that besides being forced to drink his own urine, Chong also tried to kill himself with his own glasses before taking methamphetamine he found in the cell to keep himself awake.

After being found in the cell, Chong was hospitalized for three days in intensive care to fend off kidney failure.

“What happened to Daniel Chong should not happen to any human being” his attorney, Gene Iredale, told KNSD on Tuesday.

About the Author

Arturo R. García is the managing editor at Racialicious.com. He is based in San Diego, California and has written for both print and broadcast media, including contributions to GlobalComment.com, The Root and Comment Is Free. Follow him on Twitter at @ABoyNamedArt